The Secretary, The Detective, The Army Doctor
by Chloeva
Summary: My first Sherlock fic, Elizabeth Goodwin moves into 221C Baker Street and takes an instant shining to Sherlock, however he is obviously not interested, follows the ups and downs of how she gets caught up in the lives of Sherlock and John.
1. Chapter 1

Elizabeth Goodwin placed her last box down in the dark shadowed flat, her new residence 221C Baker Street, for her this was a new start, away from her abusive relationship with her ex-boyfriend and selfless love from her parents.

She let out a sigh, the land lady Mrs Hudson seemed like a gentle, well-mannered lady who was loyal and friendly to her tenants and certainly up for afternoon tea and a chat.

Elizabeth screamed at the sound of gunshot, supposedly coming from upstairs, should she call the police, no, she should investigate, confront the wild neighbour, make sure he hasn't killed someone, and make sure he hasn't killed himself.

Slowly opening the front door, she crept out closing quietly behind her and tiptoeing up the peeled and faded staircase, she could then hear a voice of a man shouting at supposedly another man. She slowly knocked on the door and watched two pair of eyes focus on her.

One man, tall, who had the gun in his hand, he had black curly hair and a very evil expression however Elizabeth had just seen the most beautiful man she had ever come across, the other, shorter than his friend, before she had time to really observe, he had come over.

"You must be our new neighbour, sorry about Sherlock over there, gets bored quite easily."

"Sherlock?" Elizabeth smirked "What kind of name is that?"

Sherlock stared at her without blinking, his eyebrows slightly lowered, appalled by her comment.

"Haven't you ever heard of him, Sherlock Holmes, detective…"

"I'm not from London, I'm from rural Norfolk." Elizabeth smiled biting her lip.

"Aah, I'm John Watson" John held out his hand.

"Elizabeth Goodwin" she shook his hand firmly.

Sherlock hadn't altered his gaze from two minutes ago, he was still staring at her.

"So Elizabeth, what brings you to London?" John asked before being interrupted by Sherlock who stepped forward.

"Escapism, from a partner, abusive, more physical then verbal, evident scars on neck, burns from hot water, supposedly a kettle, three months ago. You came to London because your parent, very likely your mother originated from here, eastern London, there are traces in your accent, what is very mixed, you yod drop, miss out letters from words when you pronounce them, very common for Norfolk blood."

Elizabeth just stared at him, lost for words "How did you…what?"

"He's bloody amazing" John ushered.

"It's common sense John, your boring old minds miss those small obvious details, god I'd need to smoke for China if I had your mind, or anyone else's on Baker Street."

"Okay then" Elizabeth folded her arms "What do I do?"

Sherlock looked at her for a couple of seconds "Secretary"

"Very good, where do I do my secretarial duties?"

"Nowhere, you're currently unemployed, seeking for a job, preferably in this area, anywhere further than a 10 miles radius is a straight no, you hate travelling, I saw the taxi pull up, you were shaking, lost for words, dropping your baggage easily, stress from an event that made you lose a loved one."

"I…"

"A brother, you have the name James tattooed on your neck, has to be your brother because his DOB is supposedly around I say two years before yours."

"How do you know how old I…?"

"28, he was 30, possibly celebrating after the birth of his child, you have a picture in your purse which is sticking out of your pocket, supposedly only minutes old, a girl judging by the pink balloon in the background of the picture."

"Bloody hell, what's her name?"

"You tell me, names are a little harder, I'd get it eventually but my mind is being deflated by John's non rhythmic breathing pattern."

"Her name is Cindy, she's one soon."

Sherlock sat down and totally ignored what she had said; Mrs Hudson came in "Oh so you have met Elizabeth?"

John smiled "Yes, lovely woman."

"Well as long as she doesn't start investigating your flat boys, I think she'll love it here."

"Why what's in this flat? I mean a gun is understandable, I guess." Elizabeth asked a little intrigued however worried.

"Experiments" Sherlock said.

"What sort of experiments?"

"Ones your tiny boring brain wouldn't be able to understand or handle."

"I got A* in all my science subjects."

"Only just" Sherlock observed "No you need extra tutoring or at least a higher IQ to understand these ones. Even John scratches his head when he finds jars of saliva hidden in the oven."

"It's just weird Sherlock, saliva, just curious where you got it from." John explained.

"Well I better go downstairs, finish off my unpacking, nice to meet you all."

Mrs Hudson and John smiled whereas Sherlock was staring at the floor taking no notice of Elizabeth's departure.


	2. Chapter 2

John entered the living room while stretching and yawning loudly, he looked to where Sherlock was sitting, obviously lost in his mind palace. He sat down and picked up the newspaper, flicking through it.

Sherlock sat there, his two hands resting on his chin, quite frankly bored and wanting a case to solve, he made a sound causing John to stop reading a story about a robbery and look up at his friend who hadn't flinched.

Both of them looked at each other when they heard a scream coming from downstairs, they knew it wasn't Mrs Hudson so it had to be Elizabeth.

"We better go check on her Sherlock" John got up causing the newspaper to fall onto the floor.

"Bad dream, nightmare." Sherlock revealed without moving a muscle.

"Oh come on Sherlock, she could have a panic attack" John moved closer to the door.

Sherlock just stared at him.

"Oh for god's sake, sometimes I shake off that you don't give a damn however in these situations, it sickens me, absolutely sickens me" he repeated while thumping down the staircase.

He knocked on the door of Elizabeth's flat "Elizabeth it's John, are you okay?"

Elizabeth slowly opened the door "I'm in my dressing gown…"

"Don't worry, Sherlock left the house with a sheet around him and nothing else on underneath the other week, come on it's fine."

Elizabeth widened her lips and let him into the flat. John entered slowly "I sort of tried to convince Sherlock…"

"Don't worry about him, miserable git if you ask me, coffee?"

"Love one, thank you" John looked around the flat she had already started to do up. "Mrs Hudson told me that she struggled selling this flat, because it's a basement flat."

"Don't scare me in the slightest, feel safer down here y'know, Saturd' nights me and my friends would spend in locked rooms for dares. Well, we sort of stopped after a string of mysterious deaths, how many sugars?"

"One" John answered. "Mysterious deaths?" John asked intrigued.

Elizabeth added the sugar with the coffee granules, "Well there's this house, not far from here as it happens, and there was this sealed off room, the last occupants left when a lodger mysteriously died in that room, and the house had remained unoccupied since however teenagers started daring their friends to stay in their overnight. However this fourteen year old boy mysteriously died. Legend has it ever since the ground breaking, people have always died in that room."

"Crikey, this might be worth telling Sherlock."

"Good luck John" Elizabeth finished making the coffee before passing it to him.

John took it "Thank you, he might be interested."

"I always found it fascinating, I mean I've seen the house, looked perfectly normal, bit of a waste really."

"Did you ever get dared, or dare someone?" John asked sipping his coffee.

"Nah, weren't worth risking it"

"Scared?"

"A little I guess, or freaked out is a better way of putting it."

"Understandable, I mean I wouldn't after a string of mysterious deaths."

"The thing is, they keep ruling out murder, some deaths weren't evident however some could easily be taken as suicide or homicide, even accidental death, there is something, shadowing it all, there must be a key clue everyone has missed."

"Always is"

"Rubbish" Sherlock retorted.

"Oh come on" John wasn't expecting the one worded response to the story he had heard from Elizabeth.

"The lodger was old, he hit his time."

"How do you know he was old, let alone he?"

"I remember the couple who used to live in that house, took in this old guy, found him dead the next morning, preferably to die in peace and comfort."

"What about the others?"

"It's just a legend John; there is no evidence to support it."

"What about the couple moving away suddenly."

"Moved abroad, to Spain."

"Or is it the fact that this has come from Elizabeth and you obviously took first impressions seriously and hate her."

"I don't hate her; I haven't seen any need to communicate with her."

"Sherlock come on, you were judging her the minute she walked in, you were turning your nose up at her."

"I don't want her getting too close"

"Too close, what you think she fancies you or something."

"Exactly John."

"Oh come on, so what if she does, I know people who do."

"Like who, Molly? She has done every second I have known her."

"Yeah, Molly."

They both looked to the door as Elizabeth knocked on it "Surprised I haven't heard a gunshot or graceful music from a violin."

"No, I think he's at bay for now." John smiled.

"That music is beautiful by the way Mr Holmes."

"Helps, me, think."

"Helps me think too, of happiness, and a world where I don't have to worry about who's coming round the corner."

Sherlock looked at her "It's an ex-boyfriend, I can tell."

"I can confirm that to be true, why I'm here, to get away and I feel safe, to be honest I feel safer knowing there's a gun in the building, I'd use it myself if he turned up."

"Not a good idea" Sherlock grumbled.

"Why not?" Elizabeth put her hands on her hips "Because I'm a woman?" she joked.

"Don't try and be clever because you aren't, you'll get yourself into more trouble."

Elizabeth frowned as the ringing of an iPhone filled the room; Sherlock swiped it into his hand and answered it "Lestrade?"

John and Elizabeth watched the expression on his face change "We'll be right there. Come on you two."

"Me?"

"Her?!"

"John, there's been a death, at that house you were on about twenty minutes ago, miss know it all might come in handy."

"You for real? There has been a death at that house?"

"Oh yes, in the exact room, fantastic, it's like you both talked it up" he clapped his hands together then slipped on his long coat and scarf.

He walked out of 221B with John and Elizabeth who was quite looking forward to see Sherlock getting up to what he does best.


End file.
